San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-08


, naming rounu, tnHn sue wouu nave
thoughtof flying; the element of ten
| derness was altogether wanting i'm her
nature. She did not know how To say
tender words, so that Ruth's dainty tell
dernass was new and beautiful To him,
/ and he did not think once of the future
pain.
II did not seem TO him dishonorable.
| because he said nothing Of love. as
| though that We're needed when every
| inileNion of his voice, every glance from
| his eyes was cargss, when every
| thought was for her. when he spent all
his time with her.
The day never seemed to her to have
really dawned until she had said Good
| morning" To him. and he waited for her
light, springiug footsteps and sweet
voice as the birds wait for the rise of
the golden sun.
No doubt. no shadow of care disturb
| ed her; she was too happy to look he
| yOnd the present day. So her face grew
more lovely. her voice sweeter. her heart
more blithe and gay. her eyes brighter;
She seemed like one TRANSPORTED by eX-
cess of happiness.
One morning she was ont early in the
garden; one of the finest roses grown
that year was just out in bloom, pearled
with dew-dropS, and dropping shyly be-
tween lovely green avcs.
She gathered it to take to him-every-
thing she saw that WAS fair or pleasant
must be for him. When will lie forget
the picture; the beautiful face with the
radiant bloom that comes from fresh
morning air; the shining eyes; the sweet
tremulOus lips: the tall, slIapely figure
with the blue dress: the loving hands
that held the beautiful flower out to
him.
1T is the last from the Duchesse
d'Orlean S tree, she said.
And you have been to gather it for
me. Bonnie Doom
Yes" she said, and her happy eyes
sought his face, Il knew you would like
it {"
81 will take it, and keep it always"
he said.-''keep it even when the leaves
are shrivelled into driest dust
She shrank, with little gesture of
pain.
1T seems cruel to think that beauti-
full blooming rose will ever be shrivelled
into Dust" And years afterwards the
words lived in his mind.
A little low cry from her lips, and he
looked at her.
What is the matter, Bonnie DOOM"
he asked.
The bloom OH her face paled ever so
little.
do you see the thorn!" she asked;
and looking, he saw that a long, sharp
thorn had pierced the finger and remain
ed in it.
She gave him the rose, and then quiet
ly drew the thorn away. lie will see
her as she stood there until he dies
her loving face raised to his. and the
drops of crimson blood on her hand.
Does it hurt yOu?' he asked, gently.
Yes, but the pain is pleasant" she
replied. Il would suffer twice as much
In order to bring you such beautiful
flower!'
He did think of the words of her
song
amy fauSe love" sole the rose,
But, al. he l"fI the 4 Crn wi me-"
He thought of the words. but she did
not. He did not apply them 10 himself.
He was no lover of hers, neither true OF
false; notwithstanding that, he loved
her with all his heart.
She looked up at him with bright
smile.
Il wish" she said. that could al
ways be our proper division. You the
roses, the thOTs.'
II wish nothing of,the kind" he re-
piled. Roses belong by right to such
as you'll"
How fond she is of met was his
mental comment, and it did not occur
to him that he was inst as fond of her
So the happy days went on. The only
one who saw much of what was passing
was Laurence RaintOn. He came less
frequently now, for he never found
Ruth alone. THE ledger, as he called
him, was always there,-either smOk-
ing, reading, leaning over the white
fence, helping Ruth with the flowers
and fruit.
His heart grew sick with its Jealous
pain, and with the keen, unerring in
stiHct of love, he saw that Ruth loved
m,-unconsciOusly, he believed and
admitted; how her eyes followed his
every movement,-what unlimited love
and admiration shOne in them; low she
seemed to think of, hear, see, him only.
She looked at him rs though he was
some young god, only to be wOrshipped.
Laurence could not endure making a
third at these interviews. He tried to
console himself; after all, this stranger
was "0nly a lOdger." He did not be-
long to their real life; he ,C0uId be gone
soon, that was the most delightful and
comforting part of the affair-he would
be gone soon. and then everything would
fall back into the old routine. Ruth
would have time to talk to him. and in
a few months, when all memory of the
intrusive ledger had died away, he
would tell her that he loved her. and
ask her to be his wife. He' cOnsOled
himself by thinking that, after all, it
was most natural that young girl like
Ruth, who had seen nothing of life.
should be daZzled by handsome aristo-
Gratis.
So he controlled the love and jealousy
that were eating his heart away. Once,
as he passed by one of the Larch Hill
corntelds, he saw them standing side by
side amongst the golden shrubs. Eric's
dark face was bent over hers. Then Lau-
renee raised liVid face to the MONDAY
heavens.
If he harms her." he cried, IF he in
jures one hair of her head, so sure as the
sun shines, he shall die
And he registered his vow in the
bright blue heavens, to be brought
against him when the hour came.
CHAPTER VIII.
II love himl-I love him!' Bonnie
Doom repeated, over and over again to
herself. Il love himl did not know:
but how sweet it is. Why. the sun
shines more brightly to-day; the flowers
are fairer; the whole earth is more bright
and glad; because know today have
found out to-day that love him love
him! If said no other words than